Coin-controlled apparatus for renting umbrellas



H. C. WILLIAMS. com CONTROLLED APPARATUS FOR RENTING UMBRELLAS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 11, I9I9..

1,347,831 Patented July 27, 1920.

O 2 SHEETSSHEET I.

F I v l'nqewto'z fidWo'Zlz/amg QUiimeooco H. C. WILLIAMS.

COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS FOR RENTING UMBRELLAS. APPLICATION FILED APR. II, 1919.

1 347, 8 3 1 Patented July 27 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

auoentoz Moon,

WHIMQM e0 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY G. WILLIAMS, 0F .YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

COIN-CONTROLLED APPARATUS FOR RENTING UMBRELLAS."

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY O. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at York, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled Apparatus for Renting Umbrellas, of which the following is a specification.

:The' object of my invention is the provision of an apparatus constructed and arrangedto securely hold an umbrella against unauthorized removal, and adapted to be controlled by the deposit of a coin or coins of predetermined denomination, and also adapted to be expeditiously and easily manipulated after the deposit of the coin or coins, so that the umbrella may be expeditiously'and easily removed.

The invention also contemplates the provision of means whereby when the umbrella is returned to and secured in the apparatus and a coin constituting the rental fee, say a 25 piece, is deposited in the apparatus, the coin or coins deposited in the first instance will be released for delivery to the party returning the umbrella.

Other objects and practical advantages will be fully understood from the following description and claims when the same are taken in connection with the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, in which:

Figure l is an elevation view illustrating the apparatus constituting the best practical embodiment of my invention that I have as yet devised.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken through the coin-receiving means of the apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken at right angles to Fig.3.

Figs.'5 and 6 are detail views, hereinafter explicitly referred to.

Fig. 7 is anenlarged perspective ofone of the umbrella release levers hereinafter referred to. y A

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the views-0f the drawings.

Among other elements my novel apparatus comprises a casing 1 which may be of wood or metal, in the discretion of the manufacturer. p

Extending downwardly from the casing l Specification of Letters Patent.

and fixed with respect thereto, is a stand 2 on the face of which are umbrella holding loops 3, arranged one above the other in spaced relation, as best shown in Fig. 1. At its lower end the stand 2 is provided with asocket 4, designed and adapted to receive the lower end of an umbrella, with a view to holding thesame against lateral manipulation. Movable rectilinearly within certain limits in the upper portion of the stand 2 is a loop-shaped umbrella securer 5 that is adapted to securely retain the umbrella handle and which comprises part of the organized lock mechanism, hereinafter specifically described.

Disposed below, the top of the casing is a deposit receptacle 6 for earnings, and also disposed below said topis a second receptac e 7 having at its lower end what I denominate as a refund coin cup 8.

In addition to the umbrella securer 5, the organized lock mechanism comprised in my improvement includes a spring-pressed bolt 9 adapted to prevent closing of the securer 5 without retraction of the bolt by themanipulation of a' complementary key, a rod member 10 adapted to, be engaged by one end of the securer 5, coin slot 11, a lever 13 connected with a rod 14 connected to and extending forwardly from the lever 13, a

member 15 connected to and extending forwardly from thelever 13 and having a slot adapted to be registeredwith the slot 11, release levers 16 and.17, and a'coin-returning lever 18 having arms which reach into chutes comprised in the receptacle 7, Figs. 1 and 4. Slots 19 and 20 are also provided for the reception of two 50 coins. The lever 13 is fulcrumed at an intermediate point of its length on. a bracket 12, and a retractile spring is connected to the inner' arm of said lever to draw said arm forwardly when the securer 5 is released from levers 16 and 17 and drawn forwardly. After the securer 5 is drawn forwardly for the release of an umbrella handle, the bolt 9 enters the notch shown in the rod 14, so that the umbrella on the return thereof cannot be again secured in the apparatus until the bolt/9 is retracted by a key (not shown) Patented July 27, 1920.

Application filed April 11, 1919. Serial No. 289,349.

. removal of the umbrella.

specifically considered is designed to rent umbrellas, and is calculated to assure the rethe umbrellas may be recovered by the umbrella renting individual when he restores and properly secures the umbrella in the apparatus and after he deposits a 25 coin in the slot 11. This will be better understood when it is stated that the operation of the apparatus is as follows:

The prospective umbrella renter deposits two fifty cent coins in the slots 19 and 20, and said coins, by acting on the levers 16 and 17, release the securer 5 so that said securer may be drawn outwardly for'the On such outward movement of the securer, the bolt 9 enters the notch in the rod 14 so that an umbrella cannot be replaced in the securer u-ntilthe bolt 9 is retracted by the key as before de scribed. .Outward movement of the securer 5 will be attended by such movement of the member 15 that the said number 15 will bar the slot 11 and prevent the deposit of a coin will swing the lower arms of the lever outwardly, and thereby permit the fifty cents pieces to drop to the cup 8. The umbrella will then be again locked in the apparatus, and the released fifty cents pieces will be offered for return to the renter, whose province is to remove them from the cup 8. The deposited rental coin (twenty-five cents) will drop into the receptacle '6 where it will be retained until removed by an authorized person.

.Notwithstanding the capacity of function ascribed to my novel apparatus, itrwill be readily appreciated that the apparatus is simple, compact and inexpensive in construction, and is well adapted to withstand the usage to which such apparatus is ordinarily subjected. 7 As hereinbefore in'dicated,-the construction herein illustrated and described constitutes the best practical embodiment of my invention that I have as yet devised. It is to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the specific construction and relative arrangement of parts, inasmuch as the scope of my invention is defined by appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I in the front wall of the casing and having a beveled projection on one of its side arms, a key-controlled spring-pressed bolt, a rod movable rearwardly in the front wall of the casing by an umbrella inthe securer .and having a notch-for theengagement of said bolt, a lever fulcrumed at an-intermediate point of its length and having its inner arm connected with said rod, a retractile spring to move said arm of said lever forwardly, a rod connected to said innerfarm of the lever and extending forwardly therefrom .and bearing against one end of the umbrella securer, a guard connected to the outer arm of said lever and arranged to close the slot for the coin of smaller denomination when an umbrella. is out of the securer and to, render said slot open when the umbrella is in thesecurer, a receptacle in communication with and extending downwardly from the slot for the coin of larger denomination and a deliverycup, a lever arranged to engage the lateral beveled projection on the unibrella securer and also arranged in said receptacle to be engaged and actuated by a coin'placed'in the upper portion thereof, a receptacle arranged below the slot for the coin of smaller denomination, and a lever arranged to normally extend intothe firstnamed receptacle to support the coin therein and having a portion extending into the second-named receptacle whereby the lever will be engaged by the deposited coin of smaller denomination and moved to release the coin of larger denomination .in the first-named receptacle. s V

2. A coin-controlled umbrella renting apparatus comprising a'casing having in its top slots for coins of different denominations, a loop-shaped umbrella securer movable'rectili-nearly forwardly and backwardly in the front wall of the casing and having a beveled projection on one of its side arms, a

key-controlled spring-pressed b'olt. a rod movable rearwardly in the front wall of the casing by an umbrella in the securer and having a notch for the engagement of said bolt, a lever fulcrumed at an intermediate point of its length and having itsinner arm connected with said rod, a retractile spring to'move said-arm of said lever forwardly, a rod connected to-said inner arm of the lever and extending forwardly therefromand umbrella is out of the securer andto render said slot open when the umbrella is in the securer, a receptacle in communication with and extending downwardly from the slot for the coin of larger denomination and a delivery cup, a receptacle arranged below the slot for the coin of smaller denomination, means actuatable by a coin placed in the first-named receptacle to release the umbrella securer, and movable means extending into the first-named receptacle t temporarily support a coin in the upper portion thereof and also extending into the secondnamed receptacle to be engaged arid actuated by a coin deposited therein for the releaie of the coin in the first-named receptac e.

In testimony whereof I aflix m signature.

HENRY C. WI LIAMS. 

